The naval route to the abyss: the Anglo-German naval race 1895-1914

摘要

The navies of Britain and Germany in the years prior to the outbreak of the First World War remain highly controversial, and often combative, areas of study. Almost a century of scholarship on the Anglo-German naval arms race is neatly summarised in this impressive volume from the Navy Records Society. Drawing on the expertise of three leading naval historians, this volume offers in-depth historiographical discussion and 177 reproduced original documents for readers to consider. While the authors use this volume to further cement claims made in their works elsewhere, and in turn critique frequently the work of the 'revisionist' historians - namely Nicholas Lambert and Jon Sumida - a fair hearing is given to all sides. Readers may therefore make up their own mind as to which school of thought they agree with, although certain key documents are analysed to explain why it is the authors' arguments which are valid.